Bridge Across My Sorrows

by Christina Noble

A child of the Dublin slums who brought hope to Vietnamese street children: Christina Noble's childhood was a catalogue of deprivation and abuse. Her mother's death split the family part and her alcoholic father was unable to cope. She was sexually abused and escaped an orphanage for destitution on the streets of Dublin.

Years later, overworked and dealing with a violent husband, Christina realised she needed a dream. Drawing on her own experiences, she reached out to the swarms of children on the streets of Ho Chi Minh City. Within two years 'Mama Tina' had set up a Medical and Social Centre and achieved world-wide renown. Christina's is one of the bravest, most astonishing stories ever told.

Genres: Nonfiction, Biography, Autobiography, Memoir, Ireland, Travel, Biography Memoir

315 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1994

About the author

Christina Noble is an Irish children's rights campaigner, charity worker, and founder of the Christina Noble Children's Foundation.

Born into the slums of Dublin, Christina was sent into an orphanage at the age of 10 when her mother died. She spent the rest of her childhood and adolescence either in institutions or living rough on the streets of Dublin. In 1971, during her abusive first marriage, she had a dream where she saw the children of Vietnam implore her for help. However, it was 1989 before she could finally travel to Ho Chi Minh City and set up her foundation to help these children. She later expanded her charity work into Mongolia.

Noble describes her early life in Bridge Across My Sorrows and her continuing work with neglected children in Mama Tina.

Reviews

[Velvetink · Rating 4 out of 5]

The first half of the book is Christina Noble's life story, of growing up in Dublin in poverty with a family under the cloud of domestic violence & alcohol, of her mother dying when Christina was a girl, her father abandoning her and her siblings, thus ensuring they were put in "Catholic orphan homes". The mistreatment she suffered there, escaping finally to live on the streets. Her violent rape and later marriage to a man who beat her and caused her to be admitted into a mental hospital. For a woman with barely an education she survived all that and went on to start a Foundation to save and help street kids in Vietnam. Her vision keeps expanding and now encompasses Mongolia. see here;
http://www.cncf.org/en/home/index.php
While the writing isn't classic literature by any stretch of the imagination, her personal story makes up for it so I have given it 4 stars. Don't expect to be dry eyed, or unshocked, some of the horrific descriptions rival anything one has read before.
The 2nd half of the book details her work in Vietnam and how she managed to achieve it. Check out her website. There are many ways to help.

This woman's childhood in Dublin in the 1940's and 50's would make stones cry. Am halfway through, she's not yet in Vietnam saving orphans but I've shed many a tear so far.

[David Cupples · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this book in Vietnam (teaching English many years after the war). The author Christina Noble grew up under Frank McCourt-like conditions in Dublin (as I recall) and ended up on the streets as a young homeless person. She transformed her pain and suffering into one of the more high-profile "charities" (I don't like that word but let's use it for now) operating in Ho Chi Minh City, the former Saigon. I visited the CN Foundation when I was in HCMC and became interested in their work. This is a very inspirational book that is well worth reading and I do hope people become aware of her foundation and others like it that are trying to help folks around the world who otherwise tend to fall through the cracks. Stir It Up: The CIA Targets Jamaica, Bob Marley and the Progressive Manley Government

[Dianne Kinghorn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fantastic

[Tracey · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a great read, had me crying pretty much through the first half of the book. What an incredible life story!!

[chucklesthescot · Rating 2 out of 5]

Christina has a dream about helping street children in Vietnam and decides to make it a reality. She decides to put her traumatic past behind her and go to Vietnam.

This sounded like a good true story but be advised that most of this story is not about her mission in Vietnam. This book is mostly about her own childhood growing up with a sick mother and alcoholic father, being sexually abused by someone she trusted and her time in brutal institutions. This is followed by being gang raped on the street and an being in an abusive marriage. While I'm sure that this would interest a lot of people, it is not the story I wanted to read and I felt I was misled by the details on the back page. I'm not interested in reading about grim poverty in Ireland. I wanted to read about Vietnam! The bits of the book that do cover her mission are very good and well written. There just wasn't enough of it for my liking.

If you want a book fully about her time in Vietnam, then read the sequel 'Mama Tina'.

[Eileen · Rating 5 out of 5]

OUTSTANDING! This one pulled at so many heartstrings ... it made me laugh, cry, get angry, cheer .... The story follows Christina Nobel through her abusive childhood in Ireland. With her mother gone she is left to cope with a drunken abusive father as she grows up in severe poverty. She later moved to England where she was married twice.
She moves to Vietnam where she rescues children from child prostitution - in some cases actually confronting the so-called 18civilized 19 western men (child sex offenders) who pay a very small sum for sex with these children - and other children who have been abandoned, neglected and abused.
Christina started the Christina Noble Foundation in Vietnam for orphaned street children. http://www.cncf.org/

[Trudee Hunter · Rating 4 out of 5]

From heartache and pain to healing and inspiration, this true story reveals the strength and courage of a special woman......Christina Noble. Christina's bravery to follow her dream and help the street children of Vietnam is amazing. Her testimony of survival is lived out through the lives of precious children she rescued with her strong sense of humanity and love.

[Janet · Rating 5 out of 5]

The story of true strength of character . Christina was totally abused as a child, did it ruin her adult life, did she become mentally ill, did she become a druggy or an alcoholic ? NO . she pulled herself up and done so much good in the world. If you feel the world is treating you badly or that your upbringing has ruining your life, read this.

[Johanna O'Connor-Maguire · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book changed my life. I first read it as a young teenager & was lucky enough to meet Christina Noble in the Castletroy Park Hotel in Limerick in the 90's.
Later I would go on to volunteer with the underprivileged myself and raise funds for CNCF. This book spoke to me in a way that no book ever did before or since.

[tricia ann fairlie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Triumph over Tragedy

Extraordinary book. From a life of suffering and abuse Christina finds lost and broken children and offers them unconditional love and hope. Could not put the book down until I finished reading it

[Grainne · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fantastic true story. I could not put this down and read it in 2 days!

[Ann Annesley · Rating 4 out of 5]

Inspiring, initially a depressing read then the triumph of spirit.

[Jen · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was ultimately an inspiring story, but the neglect that the writer experienced in her childhood was difficult for me to read. In a way, I feel that I've read it several times before--the story of the alcoholic father and the children who can't eat because of his addiction--but the fact that she's a girl seems to make her life of poverty and street survival all the more harrowing. What I found amazing about her story is the single-mindedness with which she is able to transform years of trauma and destitution into caring for other "street children" in a faraway country.

[Rowena · Rating 4 out of 5]

This started as a very depressing story - the childhood she describes seems so hopeless. It really is awful. It made me think of all the children that wouldn't have been able to survive as well as she did. She's since gone on to rally around the street children of Vietnam and help as best she can. What an amazing story!

[Cami · Rating 4 out of 5]

We visited the orphanage in Vietnam that this woman started so I was anxious to read her story. She really is an amazing women who is doing wonderful things - very interesting to read about her and the difficult years that inspired her actions. Beware of the language (she's Irish) but overall a very good read.

[Pia Bergqvist · Rating 2 out of 5]

A very sad story of her life as a street child in Dublin fuels her dream of helping street children in Ho Chi Min city, Vietnam. Some see it as an inspirational story, too me it mostly illustrates the sad parts of humanity. I don't think this book is well written and while I understand tht litterary value may not be the point here, the lack of flow got to me.

[Keith Meure · Rating 4 out of 5]

A thoroughly interesting and moving look into the childhood and the early work of Christina Noble in Vietnam. Structurally, the book is a little off in places as events jump quickly from one to the other, but it's never, ever boring. If you think you've got it rough in life, you'll get some perspective when you read this!

[Jane Routley · Rating 4 out of 5]

Bit of a weakness of misery memoirs. This poor woman had such a tough early life but she fought through. I'm always amazed how people survive this. Makes you aware of the struggles of the homeless.

[Maggie · Rating 3 out of 5]

about to reread this.

[Natalie · Rating 4 out of 5]

A story of triumph.

[Jen Roe · Rating 5 out of 5]

this book was ok

[Sue · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sad story. Inspiring woman. Well worth a read esp if you are interested in Vietnam

[Annetteandnick]

The most empowering book I have ever read. My irish family history just wont leave me alone now!! What a inspirational woman. I admire her determination and courage.

[Maree Larkin · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a very sad book about an amazing women.

[Jordyn · Rating 4 out of 5]

Heartbreaking and beautiful. This woman is inspiring and resilient, well worth the read.

[J · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love stories of good works,the power of the individual, and of redemption. Christina Noble's story is all three. Her autobiography is a quick read, but very compelling.

[Sofía Rodríguez · Rating 5 out of 5]

Recibí el libro como un regalo de una amiga. Me advirtió, y juntas reímos, que el libro es una especie de dominós de tragedias.

Es la historia real de una mujer irlandesa que atraviesa su infancia, adolescencia y adultez envuelta en abandono, muertes, violencias y abusos. Sentí el libro como un tipo de canto, muerte infancia y pobreza.

Me gustó porque permitió darme cuenta que como niños, sea cualquiera la situación en la que estemos, todos actuamos iguales frente a la tragedia.

[Ngoc-Bich Dang · Rating 5 out of 5]

The book is actually moving and non-patronizing, which I thought, would be the case of most biographies from a founder of an good-caused organization.

Christina did the impossible against all odds with "only" a concrete faith in her dream and the love for street children. What she detailed in her childhood was both heart-breaking and inspirational for anyone who is suffering out there.

[Riley Griffin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Gripping story of a horrific childhood, growing up on the streets, with a drunkard father. Family splitting up all iver the place being told their siblings were dead. How she dreamed of helping the street children in Vietnam, and finally how she did it.

[Arielle Teutio · Rating 5 out of 5]

Reading this book, I realised that being resilient and persevering in faith are both really important in life. Christina is a very courageous woman, and her love and fight for children is indescribable.